Cladding funding for buildings under 11 metres closes to new applications
The application window for eligible buildings under 11 metres in England closed on 9 October 2026. Homes England will assess applications received before the deadline against the published eligibility criteria and fire-risk priorities.
By James Fenwick, Housing Policy ReporterPublished 
Key facts
- Homes England’s funding window for eligible buildings under 11 metres in England closed on 9 October 2026.
- Homes England opened applications on 17 August 2026 through the Building Remediation Hub.
- Homes England will assess applications received before the deadline against published eligibility criteria and fire-risk priorities.
- The department required a professional external-wall appraisal under PAS 9980:2026 identifying unsafe cladding presenting a serious life-critical fire safety risk.
- Homes England says the funding fulfilled a commitment in the July 2025 Remediation Acceleration Plan Update.
Homes England’s cladding funding window for eligible buildings under 11 metres in England closed on 9 October 2026. Guidance updated on 10 October by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government and Homes England confirms that the Building Remediation Hub is no longer accepting new applications for these buildings.
How the cladding funding window operated
According to Homes England’s guidance, applications opened on 17 August 2026, with eligible responsible entities able to submit them through the Building Remediation Hub. The department described the application period as an eight-week window ending on Friday 9 October.
The funding was offered through the Cladding Safety Scheme, which Homes England delivers. The guidance states that the eligibility requirements and application process align with that scheme, with the detailed conditions set out in the fund overview.
A central requirement was evidence about the external walls. The department says funding was made available where a Fire Risk Appraisal of External Walls identified unsafe cladding presenting a serious life-critical fire safety risk. That appraisal had to be undertaken by a suitably qualified and competent professional in accordance with PAS 9980:2026.
Why funding was introduced for lower-rise buildings
The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government launched the funding in July 2026, publishing the guidance on 9 July. Homes England says the initiative fulfilled a government commitment in the July 2025 update to the Remediation Acceleration Plan.
The department describes the funding as supporting a risk-based approach to remediation. Its stated purpose was to address cladding fire safety risks in eligible buildings below the 11-metre threshold, rather than make funding available solely because a building fell within that height category.
What is the government’s position on the risks?
The department maintains that buildings under 11 metres are less likely to have widespread cladding fire safety risks. Its guidance nevertheless recognises that unsafe cladding on some lower-rise buildings can present a serious risk to life, which was the basis for making this funding available.
Homes England says buildings were prioritised according to their cladding fire safety risk, with priority given to those presenting a high life-critical risk. The published approach therefore distinguishes between a building meeting the funding conditions and the level of priority attached to its risks.
What happens to applications already submitted?
Homes England’s 10 October update confirms that applications submitted before the deadline will be assessed against the published eligibility criteria and the risk-based prioritisation approach. The closure ends the opportunity to make a new application through this window; it does not end consideration of submissions already received.
For residents and leaseholders in buildings with an existing application, the next confirmed stage is that assessment. The updated guidance does not give a date for funding decisions or a timetable for remediation work.
Timeline
July 2025
The Remediation Acceleration Plan Update included the government commitment subsequently fulfilled by the lower-rise cladding funding.
9 July 2026
The department and Homes England first published guidance on funding for buildings under 11 metres.
17 August 2026
Applications opened through the Building Remediation Hub.
9 October 2026
The application window closed to new submissions.
10 October 2026
Homes England and the department updated the guidance to confirm closure and continued assessment of existing applications.
Questions and answers
- Is cladding funding for buildings under 11 metres still open?
- No. Homes England’s application window for eligible buildings under 11 metres in England closed on 9 October 2026. New applications can no longer be submitted through the Building Remediation Hub.
- What happens to cladding funding applications submitted before the deadline?
- Homes England says applications submitted before the deadline will be assessed against the published eligibility criteria and the risk-based prioritisation approach.
- Which buildings could qualify for the under-11-metre funding?
- The funding covered eligible buildings under 11 metres in England where a professional external-wall appraisal identified unsafe cladding presenting a serious life-critical fire safety risk. Homes England’s Cladding Safety Scheme eligibility conditions also applied.
- What fire safety assessment was required for the funding?
- The department required a Fire Risk Appraisal of External Walls undertaken by a suitably qualified and competent professional in accordance with PAS 9980:2026.
- Who could submit an application for lower-rise cladding funding?
- Homes England’s guidance allowed eligible responsible entities to apply through the Building Remediation Hub during the application window, which opened on 17 August 2026.
- How does Homes England prioritise lower-rise cladding funding?
- Homes England says prioritisation is based on cladding fire safety risk, with priority given to buildings presenting a high life-critical cladding fire safety risk.
- When will existing cladding funding applications be decided?
- The guidance updated on 10 October 2026 confirms that existing applications will be assessed but does not specify a date for funding decisions or a timetable for remediation work.
Why this matters
For leaseholders and residents in lower-rise buildings, the closure separates buildings with applications already submitted from those without a submission through this funding window. Homes England will continue assessing existing applications, but eligibility and fire-risk priorities remain relevant to that process. The department’s approach recognises that serious cladding risks can exist below 11 metres, while maintaining its position that widespread risks are less likely in buildings of that height.
Sources
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